Can’t Pretend Chapter 91: The Plan Begins

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: SpringBreeze, Kiramekineko

 

Since Ji Cheying confirmed Xie Quan’s thoughts in the suburbs that day, he knew very well that Xie Quan would never want to become the seemingly noble prince, and that going back to the palace was not part of Xie Quan’s plan.

Even if he disclosed his identity, it was in order not to implicate him, and to refute the third prince’s accusations. Xie Quan knew very well that they were tied together in the eyes of others, and if Xie Quan was a traitor, then he would be an accomplice. Xie Quan wanted to protect him and he wanted Xie Quan to be free.

If Xie Quan really wanted that position, he would help him and would give Xie Quan a clean, uncontrolled empire instead of him being a puppet to be manipulated as he was now.

In recent days Ji Cheying had not been in the palace much, because he was planning for the future. So when he heard Xie Quan say he was going to do something, he was not surprised, and even had a long-awaited mood. But Xie Quan was different from Ji Cheying at the moment, and he still held a piece of connecting plate in his hand, just now he was adjusting the arc. He was looking at Ji Cheying with his head half sideways, his gaze fixed, he couldn’t tell if he was for or against it, he just said slowly and cautiously, “You’re an imperial five-star major general with a bright future, you’ll lose your future if you stay with me.”

Ji Cheying raised his eyebrows, revealing an extremely hypocritical emotion. “So serious? I’ll have to think about it.” After giving a symbolic second to think, he said, “I’ve thought about it, let’s do it together.”

“…” Xie Quan silently turned his head, lowered his head, and continued to break the connection plate, this time with a more rude action, with some sense of venting. He really couldn’t do anything about this guy. He thought about it, but couldn’t get past it, so he said, “I’m not kidding you.”

Ji Cheying was already sitting next to Xie Quan, in the same position as Xie Quan, only more relaxed and casual, with one hand behind his body. He looked at Xie Quan idly. “I’m not joking with you either.” He asked, “And why did you tell me if you didn’t want me to be with you?”

“…” Xie Quan did not turn his head to look at Ji Cheying. He put down the connection board, picked up the power device, and began to tinker with it, half a second before he said, “I did not want to hide it from you.”

Ji Cheying found that Xie Quan was really frank and direct from beginning to end. He never seemed to know what polite was; such a direct confession always catches people off guard. It always made his heart flutter.

Ji Cheying looked at the side of Xie Quan’s focused face, his face lines clean and soft, his skin white and clear, like a person carved out of unadulterated jade. Ji Cheying asked flirtatiously, “Do you like me that much?”

There was a smile in his voice, like a bright moon in the night.

Xie Quan didn’t answer, and Ji Cheying didn’t care, but said, “That’s nice, I like you a lot too.”

Hearing Ji Cheying’s words getting worse and worse, Xie Quan put the things in his hand, turned his head, and looked at Ji Cheying with no expression. “I’m going to say my plan, will you listen?”

Ji Cheying was a little sorry that he hadn’t finished his confession, but still shrugged. “Go ahead.”

Xie Quan sighed, not sure if he felt hopeless or felt relief. He turned back and began to restore the dismantled parts while saying, “Two weeks from now is my princely enthronement ceremony, which will be broadcast live nationwide, and Ji Shanhong and the group behind him are preparing to bully the royal family into making me the crown prince on that day.”

Telling Ji Cheying about the plan that Ham and Ji Shanhong had revealed to him, Xie Quan spoke his mind.

“I’ve thought about it, and Ji Shanhong is right in saying that people who gather for profit will only be scattered by the end of profit.” He said, “If I want to get rid of them completely, I can only destroy their organization completely, and there is only one way to destroy it completely, to make the existence of that organization meaningless.”

Ji Cheying listened attentively to Xie Quan’s analysis, while his own mind raced, thinking about what to do. That organization had no name, and there were no clear boundaries. Anyone who supported Xie Quan’s succession could be considered part of the organization. For such an organization, how could it be truly destroyed?

Xie Quan was still a bit confused before, but after meeting Ham and Ji Shanhong today, he suddenly understood.

“This organization is growing and gaining support because, in the end, it’s because of the betas, because the betas want me to support the research on beta re-differentiation like Joan did, and to promote the beta affirmative action movement.” He said, “Ji Shanhong knows this, so he has also been encouraging the beta to start a lobby. I’m afraid those who supported him before were tricked into his camp.”

It’s like Tang Wenshao, or Ham.

Ji Cheying noticed Xie Quan’s choice of words. “Tricked?”

Xie Quan nodded as he spoke in a calm, unruffled tone of voice, “The beta re-differentiation study was a scam from start to finish.” He said, “It was a lie constructed by Joan to get votes for the crown prince’s campaign. It’s neither possible for beta to re-divide, nor is it necessary.”

Ji Cheying’s brow gradually pulled up into a knot as Xie Quan’s words gripped his expression.

At that moment Xie Quan asked him, “Have you ever wondered? Why is the birth rate of alpha and omega getting lower and lower in the recent century, and even a high level alpha and omega combined with each other may give birth to undifferentiated beta?”

Every word he said was a giant thunderbolt for the world.

“Beta re-differentiation is a pseudo-proposition that shouldn’t exist in the first place.” Xie Quan blinked and said innocently, “Ji Shanhong said this country needs a strong dose of medicine, so I will give him this strong dose.”

====

Outside the military headquarters, several officers of the Ninth Corps in civilian clothes gathered in an underground training ground: Colonel Henry, Colonel Joseph, Colonel Xu Wan, Lieutenant Colonel Ke Kaiyu, and Lieutenant Colonel Irene. All five of them were the captains of the five squads in the Ninth Legion and Ji Cheying’s inner circle.

For being asked to gather here in secrecy, several people arrived without a hint of speculation and discussion, just quietly waiting for their major general to explain.

Ji Cheying looked at his partners and did not give his orders directly as usual, but first said, “Next I will have a mission to hand to you, this mission will not bring you any glory, but will bring you unlimited danger. The slightest mistake, you will lose your future in the military ministry, and the merits of the previous struggle on the battlefield will also be lost. The merits you have earned in the battlefield will be gone.”

He was not loud, but his voice was like a bell, shocking. “So this time, you can choose whether to participate in the mission, if you do not want to participate, you can leave now, I will never pursue.”

The five men stood there like pine trees, straight and determined. Even Henry, who usually liked to joke with Ji Cheying, had a serious face at this moment, and there was no hint of retreat in his gaze. The reason they have become Ji Cheying’s was not exactly that Ji Cheying selected them, but more that they chose Ji Cheying.

On the battlefield, without Ji Cheying, they would have died many times, so they have long made a vow to follow only Ji Cheying in this life. Even if Ji Cheying wanted them to sacrifice themselves, they would never say no, let alone worry about their future.

Ji Cheying saw that none of them had left, and with a lot of emotions in his heart, he said in a sober voice, “We have to assassinate a man at Prince Ceasar’s medal ceremony in two weeks.”

====

“Lu Wu… Your Highness.” Xie Quan looked at the omega who seemed to be really seriously injured and somewhat pale. He sat on the sofa in Lu Wu’s ward and was very comfortable. “I can be considered to have finally seen the real face of your highness.”

Lu Wu was worthy of being the person behind the control of the underground exchange. Unlike Saroyan, he was not so sullen. He had already taken off his sick clothes and was just wearing a comfortable regular suit. Sitting opposite Xie Quan, he looked at this uninvited visitor and said without any difference, “I haven’t had time to say goodbye to Caesar’s return to the royal family.”

“It is thanks to Your Highness that I have returned to the royal family.” Xie Quan said, “If it wasn’t for Your Highness taking me away, there wouldn’t have been the chaos that followed, allowing me to appear in the public eye; likewise, if it wasn’t for Your Highness telling His Highness Saroyan about my next move, he wouldn’t have found me, and he wouldn’t have lured Marshal Ji here to take me back to the palace.”

When Lu Wu saw that Xie Quan had made this so clear, he no longer pretended to be confused; he hooked the corners of his mouth. “It seems that you want to settle accounts with me.” He said half threateningly, half kindly, “I did not publish your Yan Bai identity to the public, so that we can meet later. If you want to settle the score with me, then I’m afraid I can only tell your Yan Bai identity to the empire court.”

Although the empire government would not take the initiative to pursue Yan Bai because of the inhibitor matter, Yan Bai was, after all, a very important figure in the underground exchange. He sold illegal weapons and designs, bought banned materials, and gave machines the ability to “create”, all of which were felonies, so Yan Bai was still the most wanted in the empire court.

If Xie Quan’s identity as Yan Bai was exposed, it would inevitably be held accountable.

The handle in Lu Wu’s hand was indeed very threatening.

Xie Quan smiled faintly, without any fear, because he knew very well that as one of the crown prince candidates, Lu Wu would never be so kind to himself.

In order to meet later? What the hell are you talking about?

Xie Quan sneered back, “Your Highness can go ahead and say that Yan Bai’s identity is still small compared to Your Highness’ identity as the mastermind behind the underground exchange.”

Yes, the reason why Lu Wu did not break the last layer of window paper, even against Xie Quan, but also only secretly encouraged Saroyan to do something, rather than personally on the field, is that he feared Xie Quan would break with him and out his identity as the underground exchange controller to the public.

The position of crown prince, he did not want it. But the emperor of the underground world, this position, he could not lose it. Lu Wu narrowed his eyes. “What do you really want?”

There was no way that he came all the way over here with his grip just to fight with him and threaten each other.

Xie Quan stretched out a finger and looked at the person in front of him as he said, “My meteorite steel, which you haven’t given me yet.”

“…”